how do I know if my hamster is pregnant

[alauf]

I have a female hamster. She's fat,doesn't run on the wheel much,eats and drinks alot.She's very shy and alittle bitey. We've had here for one week. What do you think? we have a male hamster and he's more relaxed and runs alot,totall opposite of the female. thanks.

[natalie_1982]

My little bro bought a 'male' hamster from a pet shop a few years ago, it was fairly big and didn't like people touching it. We thought it just wasn't used to people but it then began to hiss and got seriously nasty to anyone that went near it, and you could see lumps down the side of its body so we thought it was ill. I got in from work one afternoon and had a look in it's cage where 'he'd' had 6 little babies. If your hamster is pregnant don't touch the babies and it may be an idea to place thecage inside a larger box as they can climb between the bars. However, she could just be getting used to her new home!

[prplestar4]

hey there!!  i have much experience in pregnant hamsters!!  we have 3 cages with 10 in one... and 11 in the other than a big one by itself...between the two moms there has been about 6 litters!!  anyway...it does sound like she could be pregnant.  mine are always nice until they get pregnant or give birth...they get very bitey and cranky about you reaching in.  they are only pregnant for about 30 days at the MOST.  so you should know soon:)  definitely do NOT touch the babies until they are 30 days old because that is when the mom allows them to function on their own.  also...sounds sick...but...it is very common for the mom to eat a couple:(  but they are super cute!!:)  good luck with em!!:)  oh and a little FYI...they can get pregnant within 24 hours of giving birth!!

[punkmuppet]

If she bites then you have to just handle her more, get her used to being handled, it shouldn't take too long but it depends on their temperament as well, some will never like being handled.

[Pythoness]

If the female hamster and male hamster are housed in the same cage, the female is pregnant.  Remove the male before the babies are born, he will kill them.

If they were recently purchased from the same store, out of the same cage, the female is pregnant.

If the female was recently purchased from a store that does not seperate the genders, the female is pregnant.

If all else fails, check her underbelly.  If her nipples seem pronounced, and her belly is bulgy, she is pregnant.  If you determine that she is pregnant, do not pick her up any more, especially since you say she is shy.  The stress of handling (both physical and mental) might be enough to cause major problems.

It is not true that mom will eat her babies.  She will only do that if under extreme stress, or if she percieves her confines as being too small.  As you say she is shy, then leaving her alone in a quiet area should solve this problem.  Excessive handling of a hamster who is shy of people would be considered "extreme stress".  This also gives rise to the myth that female hamsters will eat their babies if you touch them - some will, some won't, it depends on how comfortable they are with being handled themselves, and with people in general.  The unfortunate result of not being able to touch the babies of a shy mother from birth is that they will grow up to be shy themselves, having not been handled since birth and learning the behavior from mom.  Therefore it is advised that you only breed female hamsters who are outgoing and friendly towards people.  (Not your choice, in this case.) 

Another reason a female hamster may eat young is if she feels there are too many in a litter for her to nurse.  In this case, she will "cull" some of the weaker for the good of the entire litter.  Average litter size of hamsters is 8-10, but there can be as many as 20.

 

[cutegurl919]

Prplstar04 your stupid they r not pregant pregant for 30 days and u can touch the babies at 2 weeks not 30 days ok stupid

Love,smarter than u A.K.Acutegurl

[softballcute]

If you bought the male and female hamsters together there is a possibility that your hamster is pregnant. Watch out for any mating and see if she has any lumps in her stomach. If she is pregnant then remove the male immediatley if not then he will kill the young ones.

[HERMMY]

my hamster sleeps way too much, she runs away from me when i want to get her from her cage. and she is building a nest with food in it. and her belly is getting way too big and doesnt want to go on her wheel that much ive only had he rfor about two weeks